ACBA Vice-President's Report: PSAB Annual Conference Update

The PSAB Annual Conference was held April 25-29 at the Lancaster Marriott.  I attended the Board of Directors meeting on the 25^th.  In that meeting, we discussed replacing the sign outside of the PSAB office in Harrisburg, which incorrectly reads Pennsylvania Boroughs Association.  A cost-effective solution was agreed upon, and WJ Strickler of New Oxford had provided the quotes.  It was suggested that we get other quotes, but I successfully lobbied in favor of Strickler handling the changes, as they had built the original sign and were familiar with the delicate materials involved.  After which, a vote was held and I was selected to serve on the PSAB Executive Committee as the Eastern Region At-Large representative of 35 counties, and serving all 916 member boroughs throughout the state, and will also serve on the PSAB Finance Committee.  It was also officially announced that my appointment to the Governor’s Rural Development Council was approved by Gov. Wolf.  In this capacity, I will work with all relevant representatives from several state departments to improve economic and agricultural opportunities for counties like ours across Pennsylvania.

During the Resolution & Policy Committee meeting, we reviewed the submitted legislation and recommendations of the Steering Committee, and those meeting approval went before the General Assembly for consideration and adoption.  There were 23 new resolutions in all.  2015-1 supported amendment to Act 164 of 2014 to exempt municipal employees from tax collector certification and continuing education requirements.  The motion was to oppose adoption, as it was determined that these requirements, which are funded by the individuals and not the municipalities, are essential considering the nature of the position.  2015-2 supported enabling legislation allowing active volunteer fire fighters to receive a tax credit equal to their Local Earned Income tax, which would help offset the financial costs of equipment and other costs paid by the individual associated with their service.  I argued in favor of this legislation after a motion was made to decline support, stating the number of volunteers across the state has dramatically decreased due to financial constraints.  The amount of taxes necessary for these credits would be a minimal loss to the municipalities and would promote increased participation of this vital infrastructure.  The motion to decline support passed; I was the only dissenter. I also expressed support towards 2015-12, legislation requiring municipalities with populations of 4000 or more to pay for PSP service or provide their own force.  With more and more municipalities, such as Red Lion, with greater population densities opting to ease budget concerns by relying on PSP service, we are creating a situation where increased PSP budgets will eventually increase state taxes to provide these services.  I believe we should keep those funds local by keeping our police services in these more urban areas under local control with local and regional police efforts.  The committee agreed and passed this resolution.  The discussion on our own ACBA 2014-2: Industrial Hemp Cultivation involved much debate, as two individuals opposed to the measure tried to make a motion to decline support just as I was making my motion to adopt.  After I gave a lengthy and informative presentation, the committee determined that my motion was entered first, and the resolution was accepted, with only the two original dissenters opposing.  Our resolution passed the General Assembly as well, with only the two original dissenters opposing that vote.

I was also asked to preside over the information session with Senators Daylin Leach and Mike Folmer discussing Medicinal Cannabis (Senate Bill 3).  There was a lot of great discussion, questions and commentary from individuals about their personal experiences.  At the General Assembly, a member of the R&P Steering Committee called upon the PSAB to allow me to draft a resolution in support of SB3, which has passed the Senate 40-7, but is currently being derailed by Rep. Matt Baker who chairs the House Health Committee and refuses to bring it to a vote.  There is significant support in the committee and House to pass the bill, and Gov. Wolf has pledged support to sign if it reaches his desk.  This bipartisan legislation would bring much needed reform to our state laws and allow patients and doctors to decide the best treatment options available for their ailments.  The US Congress, with Rep. Scott Perry in the lead, has promoted legislation preventing the federal authorities from interfering with state law implementation of medicinal cannabis programs.  No one person should have the power to derail the efforts of the majority of lawmakers and citizens, and there is a call to reform the rules of committees in the state Congress to take this power away from the committee chairs. I will be an active advocate for this necessary reform.

I have also been asked to consider running for 2^nd Vice-President of the PSAB at next year’s Annual Conference, as the candidates will be chosen from the Eastern Region.  I am very proud to serve Adams County in these capacities and will continue to safeguard the interests of The People I have been sent to represent.  Thank you for the opportunity.

David Bolton

McSherrystown Borough Councilor and Citizen

Bolton Explores Run for Commissioner

David "Scotty" Bolton, a second term Councilor in McSherrystown Borough, has announced he is eyeing a run for Adams County Commissioner this Spring.

The councilman has assembled an exploratory committee to determine what resources and support are available should he decide to enter the race this coming year. "We have spoken to people across the county this past year who have been very encouraging about a possible run", said Bolton, "and right now we are putting together a game plan to garner support and define the logistics of what a campaign might entail."

Councilor Bolton was first elected via a write-in campaign in 2011 for a two-year term made available due to a vacancy on the seven-member Borough Council. He won re-election in 2013 to a four-year term, with four people vying for three positions.

"Scotty" has been very active in his civil duties since taking his seat three years ago. He has served on the Hanover Regional Economic Development Committee as McSherrystown's municipal delegate since its inception his first year on Council. He was the Sewer Committee Chair his first two years, overseeing the commencement of the Borough's Sewer Upgrades, until he was reassigned last year as the chair of the Civil Service Committee. 

Attending Adams County Boroughs Association (ACBA) meetings since his first month on the job, Bolton was asked to run for and won the seat of Vice-President of the organization in his second year, which he has maintained since. He was also asked to form and chair the new Legislative Committee for the ACBA, which has produced four pieces of legislation over three years, three of which have been adopted by the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs (PSAB) as objectives in their Municipal Policy Statements. The fourth, the ACBA Resolution 2014-2: Industrial Hemp Cultivation, is quickly gaining groundswell support by municipalities in the county and across the state, and will lend support to a forthcoming PA Senate Bill to legalize the industry in Pennsylvania.  

Bolton also serves as one of three ACBA voting representatives to the Adams County Transportation Planning Organization and has served as McSherrystown's and Adams County's voting delegate to the PSAB General Assembly. He is also a member of the PSAB Board of Directors, serves on their Resolutions and Policy Committee, and is the Region 5 (of six) representative on the organization's Nominating Committee.

In addition to his service, Councilor Bolton has also taken every opportunity to expand his knowledge and understanding of the political process, having attended many courses and seminars in Municipal Procedures, Leadership and Municipal Law offered by the PSAB.

"He has been schooled, trained and proven in successful business management most of his adult life. He has a passion for public service. He has had a lot of opportunities to serve on many levels in public and we believe that his unique and diverse skill set is directly translatable to the successful performance of the duties of a County Commissioner", an anonymous member of his exploratory committee stated. Bolton's current vocation is with RMC, Inc. as a General Manager in one of their 13 locations.

"I have enjoyed working with all three of our current Commissioners at one point or another over the past few years. I believe in the democratic process and I believe that voters should always have a choice of candidates. It bothers me that all too often candidates run unopposed. I believe our voting system serves not only to select our elected officials, but also to open up dialogue between the candidates collectively and the voters as to the expectations and direction of our future.", Bolton added, "I am very grateful and honored to serve in the capacities I have, and am equal to the task of serving as a County Commissioner if given the opportunity by The People of Adams County."

Bolton and his committee hope to make a public announcement sometime prior to the start of the petitioning process, which begins in February of this year.  Adams County will elect three County Commissioners in November to serve four-year terms, beginning in 2016.  Current Commissioners Randy Phiel, Jim Martin and Marty Qually, all serving their first terms, have already announced they will all seek re-election.

Small Games of Chance Resolution

At the McSherrystown Borough Council meeting on April 24th, I presented to the Council, for a third time, two Resolutions for adoption. These resolutions had been tabled in the past, with opposition from some parties on Council as well as the Mayor.  While I respect their opinions on these matters and have the utmost regard for the democratic process, I feel it is my duty to inform the citizens of McSherrystown, as well as those everywhere in the state of Pennsylvania, why I feel so strongly about these resolutions.

Today I would like to discuss the one that did gain support and was adopted, concerning the Small Games of Chance Bill (HB 290).  In the presented resolution which I authored, I call for the elimination of the Aggregate Prize Limits which are currently detrimental to the service clubs and the community. At this time, many of our area clubs such as the Eagles, the Moose, the Home Associations, the Republican Club and others have experienced fines and suspensions, and have had to close their doors for months at a time, because they exceeded the current prize limits of $35,000 a week. When they are closed by the PLCB for these suspensions, it is the community that suffers.

When these clubs and fire companies like SAVES here in McSherrystown sell "jars", have raffles or bingo, they have a specific amount of money they pay to the winner. The rest of the money is collected and 70% of these funds (after the first $40,000, which can be used to cover operational expenses) go straight back into the community through documented charitable donations. McSherrystown has benefited from this when the Police Department received funds for the new speed sign, which helps alert drivers that they are exceeding the speed limit and raises awareness to safety in school zones and other parts of town. Delone Catholic High School received a majority of the funds needed for their new scoreboard from such funds, which are generated by people in the community participating in the small games of chance.  SAVES, being a community organization, is allowed to raise funds for their efforts by having small games of chance at their functions. Over half of their funding comes from such activities, however, they are limited by the same laws as the service organizations.  The fundings generated by these small games of chance have helped the community without burdening the local government budgets or pulling from the taxpayers.

When people in the community support these efforts by patronizing such events, it is my opinion that it is their right to spend their money where they want, knowing that it is directly helping the local community and infrastructure.  It is beyond the proper powers of our government to tell these people that they cannot do so, or to limit their participation by setting limits on the organizations. By removing the prize limits, clubs and organizations would be able to generate more funds for charitable endeavors...can anyone explain to me why this would not be a good thing?  In a time when government funds are scarce and resources are thin from a struggling economy, it makes sense to allow those in the community to support their own purposes and interests by pooling their money together. If they choose to do so in a gaming fashion, so be it. 

Are we limiting the amount of profits that can be generated by big-business casinos in this state?  It is estimated that casinos generate over $1.3 billion in tax revenues a year in Pennsylvania (http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2011/09/25/for_massachusetts_lessons_in_pennsylvanias_casino_experience/).  The state legislation has backed and even safe-guarded the interests of the casinos for this very reason.  I will say that, when properly utilized as they are supposed to be, these funds do a great service to the residents of our state.  However, this is largely due to the fact that the state legislation has the final say over the allocation of these resources, which I will comment, has NOT always gone towards the endeavors for which they were originally intended.  The reason we have such an issue with the small games of chance limits is obvious...the casinos want that revenue for their own profit and the state wants control over the taxes produced when the casinos get those profits.  When a service organization is allowed to allocate their own funds to the community, it takes the power over that money out of the hands of the state. Therefore, limits and suspensions create opportunities to siphon some of the funds that would be kept here in our area to fund our projects and infrastructure, and they instead go to line the casino owners' pockets and to fill the state coffers, which we then have to petition the state for our share.

I want to thank the McSherrystown Borough Council for supporting my legislation, which passed by a vote of 6-1.  I would also like to extend my appreciate to the Council of Fairfield, who had passed both of my resolutions at their March meeting.  As the Legislative Committee Chairman for the Adams County Boroughs Association, I will be calling for a vote on these resolutions at the upcoming meeting in May. If adopted, I will be forwarding them to the State Congress and the Pennsylvania State Boroughs Association for consideration. It is my hope that we will gain enough support for the change I have proposed to eliminate the aggregate prize limits, and allow local citizens the ability to contribute to their community through small games of chance without restriction.

David "Scotty" Bolton

McSherrystown Borough Councilman and citizen

councilmanbolton@gmail.com

717-634-8726

Busy First Month of 2013

Hope everyone had a great January. It sure has been tumultuous on the weather front. Similarly, we have had some very interesting events in local government. Let's get started...

McSherrystown Borough Council:

At the January 9th meeting, we were informed by Borough Manager Scott Cook that the state's Act 108, which is a disposal ban on computer supplies and equipment, has mandated that we can no longer dispose of these types of items in the regular recycling/garbage pick-up. They must be recycled through the types of e-Recycling program our Borough currently participates in, in conjunction with the York County Solid Waste Authority via Penn Township. If you have old computer monitors, towers, etc. that you need to recycle, please contact the Borough Office for drop-off times and locations. You can also speak to one of the area computer repair businesses who will often recycle them into usable units again.

We were informed of a sewer back-up issue on N. 2nd Street by a resident there. We contacted USG, who had done our camera work for the Sanitary Sewer Maintenance for us just a few months ago, and they confirmed that there is a 75% blockage of the line beyond the curb, which the Borough has accepted responsibility to repair (usually it is the homeowner's responsibility for lines beyond the main tie-in). The first option explored was to use a type of "balloon" repair to seal the line, but with the extent of the damage, it will be necessary to dig up the line and physically repair it. As that part of the street is state (PennDot) road, we needed to apply for a permit to dig it up. We have done so, with the permit lasting two months starting April 15th. This will give us time after winter to get in there and do the work, but also PennDot plans to repave that road this summer, so doing the work at that time will save Borough money in retopping costs after the work is completed. Also, we were informed that the costs for the camera/line cleaning performed by USG was adjusted from $16,283.25 to $14,504.28 (eliminating duplicate fees), which saved us even more from the original budget of $25K for the project. Council approved the balance owed to be paid to the company ($8,141 was sent in December).

The Borough was able to collect over $10K in costs and fees coming from liens on two properties in town after Sheriff sales. These funds were in direct relation to municipal bills that were not paid by the owners after several years. There are still more liens of this sort that are outstanding, and the Borough is committed to collecting these amounts to offset the costs paid by the rest of the citizenry.

The Council discussed the Adams County Transportation Planning Organization's initiative to unit the Hanover Urban Area under a common MPO. Adams County municipalities outside of Gettysburg, Conewago Township and McSherrystown are in favor of having a County-specific MPO to apply for state and federal funding for various projects, however, the federal government, following the recommendations of the Census Bureau, has identified our very specific local area as one that will be expanding rapidly over the next 10 years. Although we cross county lines, the metropolitan area is recognized as being viable outside of county designations. Council voted unanimously to continue working with the Hanover Urban area in this pursuit, as it will serve to offer more success in acquiring grants and funds for local projects, such as the Hanover Area Regional Economic Development Committee, and as we already participate in Joint Bidding endeavors with these municipalities.

Adams County Boroughs Association:

At the January meeting, I was installed as Vice-President and Chairman of the Legislative Committee. I discussed my resolve to eliminate unfunded state and federal mandates on local municipalities, which ultimately cost our taxpayers more for programs that are not directly controlled at our local level.
Senate Resolution 323 of 2010 reviewed these mandates and made many suggestions as to the elimination of a bulk of the 6500 identified, many of which are archaic (some dating back to the early 1800s). One such mandate which the County Commissioners have done away with recently was the $12,000 yearly salary paid to the Jury Commissioner, who was in charge of picking jurors for the county. Since the 1970s, this job has been accomplished by computers, and thus, no person was needed to perform this task, although the County had been paying the salary each year.  I will have more on this as my Legislative Committee discusses other concerns, such as the Prevailing Wage mandate, which increases costs to local municipalities by 30-70% for work done by contract, such as road paving, construction, etc.  CLICK HERE to view the Task Force report and to review these mandates in detail.

I also discussed Senate Bill 65 for the 2013-2014 of the State Senate which is currently in the Local Government Committee. Memo #9 states this is an Act amending Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for local referenda.  As Senator Kim Ward writes, "Currently, there are few special circumstances where local governments can put measures on the ballot for voter approval or denial. Beyond increased debt proposals and special legislative provisions, these local governments do not have the ability to seek the will of the populace in large scale projects or measures. My legislation would broaden the ability of local governments to use voter referendums on items like tax increases, capital projects and ordinances."

I am fully in support of our voters' having the right to tell us directly on ballot how they feel we should direct our legislation on a local level.  Anyone wishing to contact Senator Ward can reach her at 717-787-6063.

I was also asked to serve as the alternate representative to the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs on the Resolutions and Policy Committee. This assignment will aid our own Legislative Committee to be more involved in state level concerns and representing local constituents' interests against those of the larger metropolitan areas of the state, namely Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

On February 6th, I will be a panelist for the Penn State Extension Workshop titled "Toss Your Hat in the Ring, How to Get Involved in Local Government".  With almost 20 people signed up to attend, they will get information on what to do if they would like to run for local office. Monica Dutko from the Adams County Office of Elections will also be there to answer questions. The cost is $25, and is good for those who want to get involved or as a refresher for those who are already serving.

I WILL ALSO BE RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION THIS SPRING/FALL!  As you may know, I ran for and won a two year term in the write-in campaign from 2011. This year, I will be coming around to get my petitions signed and to get the news out about what I am doing to represent the people of McSherrystown. I would appreciate any and all support in my efforts for re-election. You can contact me directly if you would like to help with getting signatures for my petition. The video below explains the process, which begins today and runs through March 12th.

I hope that I am serving your interests, and as always, I am available to talk about any concerns you may have for the Borough, County or State. I have begun to use a new mobile video app on my Facebook page to keep everyone more informed in a more personal format. These posts are labeled for public viewing, so you can subscribe to my posts and be able to view it without adding me to your personal list. CLICK HERE for my Facebook address.  You can also email me directly....CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME NOW.

Thank you for allowing me to be your voice to our local government!

For Liberty!

David "Scotty" Bolton
McSherrystown Borough Councilman and citizen